Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said he had instructed the Armed Forces to maintain the highest level of combat readiness to defeat "imperialistic plots."

"I have instructed our Armed Forces to be ready and maintain the highest level of readiness, discipline, leadership and training to defeat imperialistic plots and support peace. Venezuela relies on you," Maduro wrote on Twitter.

Maduro has accused US National Security Adviser John Bolton of plotting to overthrow and assassinate him with the help from Colombia, whose president Ivan Duque, Maduro claimed, was part of the plan.

On Thursday, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza handed a note of protest to the top US diplomat in the country, Jimmy Story, over an alleged coup plot.